Ashton Cabinet VSG - 2009 (FTRW)*

[GVan]

I still have the effects of Tropical Storm ETA on South Florida (but, it's better than yesterday); Overcast skies, 82 degrees F, 77% humidity with winds still 15 to 25 mph. Probably too humid for a good cuban so I decide on the second oldest cigar in my humidor - the Ashton Cabinet VSG.  

The Ashton VSG hails from a private estate in Ecuador where the region’s cloud cover naturally filters sunlight. The Sumatra-seed wrapper is fermented extensively until it achieves its dark and lustrous sheen. The filler is a marriage of four-to-five-year-aged Dominican binder and filler tobaccos.  This one is from a box I bought in 2009 and I only have 4 of them left.  I haven't smoked one since getting into cubans because frankly, I remember these as really strong "xxx-kickers" that you have to be in the mood to smoke!

The construction of this cigar is excellent; the wrapper is dry but still has the dark sheen for which they are noted.  Feel is firm and smells like really old leather.  I decide to make the smallest V-cut I can and am rewarded with a perfect draw.  

On the CD I get leather and anise. The pre-light smell brings back memories of my grandfather's home.  He lived alone and used to smoke Dutch Masters cigars in his house.  As a young child my mom would go over to clean-up his house and she would bring me along to help.  My job was to wash every thing down with a bucket of soap and water.  I don't know exactly why, but the smell of this cigar and the cold draw vividly bring back those memories! 

The first third is almost mild - not the strong xxx-kicker cigar I remember.  I get very pungent cedar, anise and leather.  There is more cedar flavor in this than any other cigar I have ever smoked (could it be the long storage in my cedar singles drawer?). There is a very light grey smoke that smells wonderful.

The second third the cedar mellows but is still there; the anise is gone and replaced with a very mild black pepper.  The black pepper is not the "pepper bomb" that many NC's put forward - it is really light and these flavors produce an incredible dry / tannic after-taste that lasts forever on the palate.  I can tell this is a properly aged cigar as I can smoke it very slowly - less than 1 puff a minute and the burn is still razor sharp with no touch-ups required. I could probably have left the ash go longer but in the winds I didn't want to wear it! 

The last third is still mild to medium (another unexpected surprise from a VSG).  The cedar is back stronger and I get cinnamon as well as rye bread.  What amazes me about this cigar is many times I would describe a cigar as giving me "toasted-tobacco" which is a flavor I like.  As I'm finishing this cigar I keep thinking about that it never tasted like "toasted-tobacco" -- I know it's tobacco but it tastes like something else -- how cool.

Total smoking time was 1 hour and 42 minutes.  I bought a full box of these cigars in 2009 at a small shop in Delaware for ~ $9.16 / stick!

Construction & Smell Pre-light (15 pts) = 15 pts. -- thanks for the memories.

Burn Consistency (20 pts) = 20 pts. -- it doesn't get any better especially in Florida.

Flavors (35 pts). = 29 pts. -- old leather, anise, cedar, cinnamon, black pepper and rye bread.

Complexity (20 pts) = 20 pts. -- many more flavors and much better than I expect from a typical NC.

Price / Value (10 pts) = 10 pts. -- a great example of a NC at a reasonable price.

I give this  94 points and it's clearly moved into the # 2 cigar I have smoked in 2020 !

[StogieSteve23]

Very cool that it brings back those memories of your grandfather! I have a couple from 06-08 in one of my humidors that I look forward to smoking now after reading your review.  

[mprach024]

Fun revisiting old friends that were once staples.  Sometimes the nostalgia alone is worth a couple points.  Great review, I enjoyed the read, thank you.

[Kayslay]

I smoked a small VSG figurado recently with around 20 years on it that was gifted to me from a friend. It was a phenomenal cigar. Still very full in flavor. Makes me want to buy a box and forget about them!!

[djrey]

NC cigars were my first go in the world of cigars and naturally I now have many with 8ish years of age on them. Always love seeing aged NC's reviewed. Well done.